“There was once a young maiden wanting to traverse the vast land of this great world! She traveled to and fro, enjoying the sights and delicacies of the locals. She had no responsibilities, was full of tales, and was as innocent as innocent can be! Such a joyful life. Lalalala.” Sache, sang to herself as she strummed her lyre.
Walking all by herself, she kept herself company by working on her singing and poetic prowess. And if she was being honest, she was pretty damn good.
“Aha! Is that a small village on the horizon I see? Well, don’t mind if I do!”
Taking long comical strides, Sache packed her lyre in her large bag, stuffing it in somehow.
This village was on the plains, surrounded by acres of plot land. As expected, the main source of trade these villagers focused on was crops.
The very first person she met was an old farmer, catering to his field. The wrinkles on his aged hands did not dissuade him from continuing on with this back-breaking labor. However, it seemed that he was bringing something else based on the wheelbarrow behind him.
Sache saw the old farmer having trouble pulling the wheelbarrow on his own and did not hesitate to help.
Rushing in, she ignored the dirt and mud staining her clothes as she pulled up the wheelbarrow while physically quivering.
“Young lady… I appreciate the help but-”
“Huff… Huff… Don’t worry. I got this!” Sache was trembling from the weight. Pulling it forward wasn’t even in her cards. She exerted as much force as she could but couldn’t even move it forward an inch.
Making no progress, she rubbed her hands together and went to the behind it, pushing it instead. After failing once again, she even started punching, kicking, and berating it. All of which didn’t do anything but make the old farmer laugh.
“Hahahaha, it’s fine. The contents of what you’re trying to haul isn’t something that any normal person would be able to carry.” The old man removed the tarp covering the contents of the wheelbarrow and revealed a large pile of rocks and minerals.
Sache’s eyes opened wide, she pointed at one piece of mineral, smaller than the rest but glimmered the most.
This opaque yellow gemstone seemed to have taken the light of day, storing it for himself. This resonated with Sache’s orange eyes, a mirror of sorts.
“That’s Day Stone! That only appears at high altitudes where the light congregates the most… And those areas are usually filled with dangers! Does that mean that you’re…” Sache’s eyes sparkled, even more so as he stared at the old man.
“I’m not that famous, just a small Tale around these parts. My Tale’s The Hardened Farmer, and as for my name, you can call me Derius. Nice to meet you.” Derius offered Sache a handshake to which she immediately took it.
“You see, I’m a traveling Bard, I’m very curious as to your tale. Would you mind telling me all about it?” Sache already had a plethora of stories to tell, adding one more to her repertoire was still something as exciting as the first story she heard.
Title {The Hardened Farmer}
Name {Derius Felte}
Reputation {???}
Honor {???}
Gravitas {???}
Affiliation {???}
Blessings
Inscribement {???}
{“He looks like a good person. Hopefully, I can help him out in the future!”}
The screen before her was something that recorded everything that was objectively correct. Everything she learned needed to be from another person or media, she could only guess based on what she had seen and experienced.
“A Bard? Those fancy big shots? You look a little too young for that, lad.” Derius sized Sache up and down, she was something that he could only describe as too childlike.
“I get that a lot… but I’m actually 22…” Sache drooped down, she wasn’t impoverished but she really did seem younger than how she looked like.
Derius saw the previously peppy girl sulk. He felt a little bad for his off-handed comment.
Anger swelled within her, “That’s it! You need to make it up to me by telling me your Tale and uh… telling me where the nearest tavern is!” Even her angry expression still seemed adorable.
With her puffed cheeks and crossed arms, she still didn’t give off the vibe of being hostile. It was more playful than anything.
“I was already going to, let’s head deeper in the village. I want to introduce you to everyone. A Bard playing a few songs and telling a few stories will liven up the mood. The children will adore you.”
The joy of playing a show overwhelmed the sensation of her lacking development.
It was pretty much as one expected. As soon as Sache appeared, she was immediately welcomed and sang for them. She didn’t immediately go to telling Epics and Legends, mostly spreading lesser-known Tales and Tall Tales.
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As most of the students were still learning from their fathers and mothers, there was still time for her to settle down. Time for her to meet with the residents.
“The sun’s pretty hot, isn’t it?” Sache pulled her collar, still a little exhausted from earlier. “How about we talk about it over a few cold drinks?”
Her eyes were glued to the tavern. The familiar stench of alcohol didn’t repulse her at all. After all, this was the place where she had the most fond memories.
“Aren’t you a little too young to be drinking?” A person asked from the side. She really did not look her age.
“I can attest that she’s old enough. Let’s enter the tavern. But I want her to listen to my Tale first! I want to help out the village a little while longer. Hahahaha!” Derius led the party to enter the tavern.
Title {The Hardened Farmer}
Name {Derius Felte}
Reputation {53 People}
Honor {Kind}
Gravitas {95%}
Affiliation {Trecyt Village}
Blessings
Inscribement {Old Reliable}
[Able to do mundane tasks without faltering]
{“He looks like a good person. Hopefully, I can help him out in the future!”}
It didn’t take long before everyone had a great time.
“Sache, Sache, do it again!” A villager threw a copper coin at Sache, wanting her to perform her trick again.
“If I must…” Sache was clearly enjoying it too, it was free after all. “Watch closely… This copper coin, still in my hand, correct?” She showed off the copper coin in her hands and then clapped. By the time she opened her hands, the coin was no longer there.
“Derius, did you see what happened just then? She must be a witch!” This trick was fun to watch. Seeing something disappear before your eyes was always a treat.
“A Bard! I’m not a witch! I’m a Bard!” Sache was a little offended. She was tricking them out of cash but that’s beside the point. Her pouted face only made the other villagers pile on her.
“A Bard wouldn’t be out here doing magic tricks! A Bard would be singing for all of us!” A direct hit.
“Uuu… Fine! Since everyone’s already pretty wasted, there’s a fun story that I’ve heard one time from a Fae-” Sache brought out her lyre.
“Fae’s don’t exist! Nothing but an old wives tale.”
“But they are real! I’ve seen one! Next, you’re going to tell me dragons don’t exist either!” Her ramblings were taken a lot less seriously since she was acting very… immature.
“Maybe this Bard’s been to dreamland too many times. Hahahaha! Too much drinking can do that you know. Cheers!”
“Hurrah!” Everyone bonded together and enjoyed themselves.
At the expense of the Sache, everyone was having a good time. She put down her drink and decided to have some fresh air. They could keep the party going by themselves.
“Hah… I guess everyone had fun. If they had fun, getting made fun of isn’t too- who am I kidding? They were so mean!” Sache crossed her arms. From the looks of it, despite drinking so much, she still looked fine.
“Oh, who would’ve thought that it’s already late? They said they were going to introduce me to the little ones. Where are they? Did everyone get drunk too?”
Sache felt a small tug behind her.
“Eek! Bride of the East! It wasn’t me! It was the Fae that played a trick on you! I’m innocent I swear!” Sache immediately cowered in place, turning in a ball as quickly as possible. A flurry of apologies and prayers flowed out of her mouth.
“Miss Sache?” She had big eyes, staring at Sache from the side.
“A child? Ahem. Err… What do you need?” Sache ignored how ridiculous she had just acted.
Seeing the child, she finally realized that she was going to entertain the children. She quickly followed the girl and arrived in the middle of the village once more. There, there were countless children surrounding a bonfire.
Sache wasted no time, telling them one of her favorite poems from a Tale.
----------------------------------------
Bring Back The Cat
They asked me to see, say, tap, describe
The ebony luster of a pen of the scribe
Furred creatures of ominous omen
Gone… but never forgotten
----------------------------------------
Sache poetically described a simple Tale from a distant land. She seemed a little forlorn but still retained the expression of thrill as she told everyone one of her favorites.
A child raised his hand. Sache pointed at him, letting him ask.
“What does it mean?”
“Well, I tell you my interpretation of it but that would ruin the fun of it! Wouldn’t it? If everyone saw the same picture as the same, wouldn’t the world be bland? Instead, what do you think it means?” Sache loved curious people like him. The kind who’s willing to seek more for the sake of curiosity.
He seemed to be taken aback. “I… I’m going to ask my mom.” He stood up, he was about to leave when Sache stopped him.
“I’m asking you. Not your mother, what you think. It could be anything you see it as. So are you willing to tell us?” Sache went over and patted the boy on his head.
“Only if you tell me what you think right after.” It took him a while but he managed to come to some sort of conclusion.
“Alright fine! Everyone, you’re also coming to join in! Come here!” Sache gathered the bunch of kids together and huddled them all together.
Voices of disagreement came from the kids but their voices were filled with laughter and joy. At times like this, Sache truly fitted in with them.
“I think its the story of a person wanting to speak up but couldn’t. He wants to say his own piece but he is unable to. The ‘Furred creatures’ could mean his writings that people don’t want to hear. So they might not be written but the writer will never forget them.” He spoke naturally as if it had resonated with him.
The other kids noticed this and… they couldn’t help but agree. Sache grinned from ear to ear, the story she wanted to tell them was something they needed to hear. She had an inkling that this was something the youth needed to hear.
It might just be a small tale but the impact it could have on another person could be immense. It all focuses down on the person and the work, speaking to one another.
“Miss Sache, what do you think about it then?” A girl hugging her waist looked up and asked her.
“Simple. Immortality. Interpret it as the never-ending flow of time, never to be shaken down. It’s a short one but something has a little bit of meaning to everyone.” Sache started strumming her lyre, creating a soft melody that made everyone feel the longing she had.
“I don’t get it, Miss Sache. Why is it immortality?”
“He was asked to describe the pen of the scribe, wasn’t he? That represents his deeds and efforts that had prevailed through time. He might be gone but his works are still there… the impact he had on together still molds society to this very day. What else is it other than immortality?” Sache woefully sighs, the journey never ends for her.
“I wonder, what else can you interpret it as? Care to tell me?” Sache looks at the children in the audience. Awaiting their answers.
Tell her.